Facing the Daemon
by cali-luv
Summary: Sarah and her school friends win the chance to take a trip to Transylvania. Jareth's attempts at warning her do not succeed, and he must take her in to prevent Dracula from stealing her soul. Just Read and Review... I hate summaries.
1. Default Chapter

Chapter One – Who Have You Become?

Credits go to Jim Henson for the Labyrinth. I own my story line, however. : )

The front door slammed as fifteen year old Sarah Williams hurried into her Victorian style home. Rain pooled off of her coat and her dog Merlin onto the nice hardwood flooring. "C'mon boy," she whispered grabbing him by the collar and attempting to haul him up the stairs.

"Not so fast, young lady." said the ominous voice from the kitchen. Sarah groaned and looked up to see her step-mother Karen peek around the door with her little brother on one hip and a letter in her hand. Sarah wondered momentarily what the letter was. Perhaps it was from 'Fear Launch', a television show she and her friends had signed up for. Her heart raced with a mixture or excitement and dread.

Sarah's musings were interrupted when Karen sniped, "Take that dog into the garage Sarah. I mean it this time, the next time he makes so much as a puddle on my hardwood he'll become a permanent fixture tied to the back gate." Sarah swallowed the urge to inform Karen that it was never HER hardwood, and just because she married the man who's hardwood it actually belonged to did not mean she had any rights over it herself.

However, she knew that there was no use in arguing with her. Sarah never won, and the best strategy she could think of that would save a little of her pride was to ignore her and do as she asked as though she was doing it of her own will. "Hey there, little man." She said to Toby, completely ignoring Karen. She was met with a near toothless grin from the toddler and a scowl from her step mother. "I'll be right back!" Sarah said to Toby, and lead Merlin outside into the storm.

Opening the garage door was no easy task for the slip of a girl she was. It took her a good five minutes to lift up the old metal door that had grown testy with decades of rust. "I really have got to get someone over her to oil this, or something!" She grumbled in frustration. When she finally got it open she said regretfully, "Alright, boy. C'mon." Sarah was met with no grumpy dog eager to get under a roof. Surprised, she looked behind her. "Merlin?" she yelled, searching the area behind her. She walked into the lightly wooded backyard, becoming agitated. "Merlin! Come here, now! It's pouring."  
Her agitation was turning in to self-pity very quickly. Her fingers were numb and her sopping hair was dripping a steady stream of water down the back of her shirt.

Sarah picked through some brush until she made her way to the path she often took to get to the park. It had been a year since she had gone there, a year since she had been that whimsical child who had wished her baby brother away to unimaginable creatures. This was the path she took on days she was feeling adventurous, for it took a good 20 minutes longer than taking the streets, especially if you took detours to pick flowers or act out scenes from "A Midsummer's Night Dream."

Sarah heard a scuffling up ahead on the path. She stopped, and squinted her eyes against the downpour of rain. "Merlin?" She whispered, trying to keep the fear from her voice. A flash of lightning cut through the sky, and she saw Merlin tearing down the path in the opposite direction and disappear beyond a bend. "Damnit! Mer, COME HERE!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. She was very reluctant to move from her spot, neither forwards nor backwards.

Sarah closed her eyes and fought back tears. Why am I so scared? She asked herself bitterly. This isn't me, I never used to be scared. When she opened her eyes, nothing had changed. She looked behind her and realized with a shock that she had been walking in the direction Merlin had gone without realizing it. She was deep into the wooded area now and her dog was not in sight. She shrieked when lightening once again sliced open the heavens and she saw Merlin sitting in front of an old, spindly oak tree. In the moment it took her to register Merlin, she also noticed what he was looking at; a great owl.

"Oh, God." She simpered. With the lightening no longer luminating the scene, all she could see was its yellow eyes gazing at her. Tears were steadily streaming down her cheeks and she closed her eyes as a child would do. The old method of, 'I can't see you, you can't see me." She slowly took a step backwards, with her eyes still closed. When nothing happened, she took another, and then another. Sarah gained speed and tripped over something blocking the path. Her eyes sprang open in panic and focused on where the owl had been, and no longer was. Her breath caught in her throat, and she could think of nothing better to do than confront the danger before it scared her into a heart attack.

"Jareth?" She whispered meekly. She felt a long finger trace up her spine, and her body became stiff with shock and fear. Warm breath formed around her right ear as a cold British voice said, "Dear one, what troubles you?"

Sarah flung herself as far away from him as she could in her current state of fear, mortification and disbelief. He grinned down at her, clearly enjoying her flood of emotions. "You did not answer me. Is something churning up any unpleasant feeling, Sarah darling?" He stressed the word 'darling', and sneered at her.

"You," Sarah wiped her face, ashamed to have him see her crying. She never broke eye contact, however. "I thought you were-"she began.

"Dead? Oh no, Sarah. If you think you held power over my future you were sadly mistaken." His sneer suddenly changed into a look of enjoyment as he made a sudden movement to lean in front of her. Sarah froze as he leaned in close to her ear again. "I have always been the one with power, have I not?" Jareth leaned back, expecting to dodge a slap, and preparing a quick innuendo to counter her rebutting remark.

Instead, Sarah nodded in agreement, and turned her face away from him. "Yes," she whispered. "You always had the power." This hit Jareth harder than it had hurt her to say it. It was at that moment that he noticed the water dripping from her eyes were tears and not just rain, and how her body language indicated she was ready to take a physical blow. She was actually anticipating him to strike her.

After a long pause Jareth said, "Well, that was certainly unexpected. Could it be that Sarah Williams has given in to me?" Her physical flinch was not lost on him. He had attempted to muster up pride in her, and it had worked momentarily. Her eyes shot up and met his. "I will never give in to you. I hate you." This was the opening he had been waiting for. His laughter boomed along the path and disappeared into the trees.

Jareth started sauntering towards her again, taking his time for the appropriate tension to build. While he walked, he taunted, "You really think you got rid of me? You beat a game Sarah. That game was in no way me, it wasn't the war. How dare you use those words?" His own anger level was rising as he got what he had to say out of his system. He noticed with a sense of sick joy that her panic was spreading and she was scuttling away from him. Sarah got up and started to run, but he grabbed her wrist and pushed her gently up onto the oak tree. "How dare you say those words to me, Sarah? I will always have power over you."

Sarah turned her face away and began to sob broken sentences. "Stop, stop! I'll stop, I'll do better. I won't, oh please don't do this." Jareth took a step back from her, astonished and still holding her shaking wrist. She wasn't fighting him, she was begging. Something in his gut was pounding, telling him something was terribly wrong.

Sarah began helplessly pounding her fist on Jareth's chest. "Don't touch me, I'm sorry! I'm good, I'll be so good just please don't." Tears were pouring down her cheeks faster than the rain itself. Jareth, not knowing quite what to do grabbed her other wrist and held them both above her head.

"Sarah!" He yelled. She screamed and slid against the tree and onto the muddy ground. He let go of her wrists and she immediately covered her head with her arms, sitting in fetal position. She rocked back and forth crying, "Please don't, you said you would stop, you said you loved me, Kade STOP! You're hurting me, I love you."

It was then that Jareth got the general idea of what was going on. Her pleads were not to him, they were to some other male figure that he had invoked memories of. Bad, bad memories. He looked down on the cowering girl, still in fetal position. He had no idea what to say, or where to start with her. His own anger at her had ebbed away, and all he saw was the mere shadow of the girl he had once knew and thoroughly enjoyed competing with. There was no competition here.

Jareth was almost grateful when Sarah's body slumped over in the mud, no doubt overtaken by fear and dread. He put his musings aside for a later time, and leaned over to pick her up.

Jareth and Sarah made a twisted looking picture of bride and groom as he carried her through the path and the Williams' backyard. When he got to the back porch, he pounded on the door furiously with the toe of his boot. In Sarah's unconscious state, she turned and buried her face into his chest and before he realized what he was doing, he held her tighter to him. He did not know why, but he felt a certain responsibility for what had happened tonight.

Although, of course, he was entirely within his rights to lure her into the woods, taunt her with frightening images, and push her into such a state of panic that she relived times of violence in her past. Jareth cringed at that, and agreed with himself to not think on it.

Jareth banged the door again with growing agitation. He heard the scuffle of tiny feet approach the glass door. Big blue eyes peered through the blinds, disappeared, and then the knob turned. As soon as the door was unlocked, Jareth hooked his foot around the opening and pulled it open all the way. Toby was revealed to be standing in the doorway, looking as though he was caught doing something terrible. "I didn't take a cookie!" he screamed defiantly, and hobbled away to sit on the couch.

Cocking an eyebrow in half amusement, Jareth slowly entered the Williams' home. He lay Sarah down on the rug, and took off her jacket. "Did Sarah fall asleep in the rain?" Toby asked from his position on the couch. When Jareth looked up, he was cramming the last bit of a cookie into his mouth. He chuckled and said, "You would be Toby, yes? My, what a fine fellow you've turned out to be." Toby's chest puffed out with pride and he grinned a chocolaty smile.

"Where are towels?" Jareth asked him. Toby's eyes grew big with denial, and he quickly said, "I didn't take a-"

Toby was cut off with Karen's high pitched scream. "Oh, my goodness! Robert, come down here!" Jareth stood up, getting ready to leave. He saw no point in staying, being as Sarah's mother was clearly upset and willing to take over. His thoughts were stunted as the woman grabbed Toby and ran back up the stairs, leaving him alone in the living room with the Sarah. He thought it odd that a mother would show such disregard for her own child's safety, disturbing even. Without a word, he shifted into his owl form and flew out the window, leaving Sarah with a lot of explaining to do in the morning.

- - - -

Well folks, I hope you liked it. I have a lot of ideas for this story, and I promise it will be worth it to keep tuned in...especially if you like Dracula stories with evil and purpose. SWEET! Ha-ha. Well, in the meantime please review! And I need a Beta...any volunteers? I'm a terrible spelar. : )

bRi


	2. Don't go, Sarah

Disclaimer: All the credit (okay, I get SOME credit!) goes to Jim Henson and all the beautiful people who created the Labyrinth. This includes Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie for being beautiful and fun to write for smiles 

Author's Note: Hey kids, thanks for the whopping FOUR reviews! Ha-ha, just half kidding. Honest thank yous go out to the people who read and reviewed my story. 3

PS- all thoughts are like so: thought I hate how improper that is, but I don't know how to make italics stay when conformed to html.

ALERT!: jarethsdragon – thanks that would be absolutely amazing! I don't know how to get a hold of you though...hmmm....my email is and my AIM messenger is xCaliLuvin916x thank you!

Sarah felt a sharp nudge to the ribs. "Hey Williams, you gonna eat that?" Sarah vaguely registered the sounds, and slowly blinked her eyes into focus.

"Hello, not to get cliché here but earth to Sarah!"

"No, thank you." Sarah murmured. She buried her face in her folded arms, making an attempt to block out the sunlight.

"Hmm, alright then. I'll just help myself." Sarah heard the sound of a potato-chip bag being ripped open, and then the very loud chewing noises that quickly ensued.

After five minutes of very loud chip chewing noises, Sarah groaned and peered an eye to glare at the culprit.

"Howdy," said a handsome boy of around eighteen. He had blonde hair that was gelled to a point in the middle of his head which he lovingly called his "faux-hawk". His eyes were hazel, and at this current moment they sparkled with enjoyment.

"What, was I chewing loudly?" The boy smiled cheekily at Sarah, and turned to look at his girlfriend that was walking towards the pair.

"Corey, leave Sarah alone." reprimanded the girl. Turning to Sarah, she asked, "Do you have another migraine love? I have some Excedrin if you deem it necessary."

Sarah smiled half-heartedly at her best friend's worried face. "Thanks, Emma. I think I'm okay. Your darling hubby here was just eating _my _chips a little too dramatically for my liking."

Emma's doe eyes drifted from Sarah to Corey. "I really should put a leash on you."

Corey grinned. "Where's Kaedin?" he asked.

Sarah stiffened. Emma noticed. "He's making up a chem. test. He left me a message this morning saying he'd be out before lunch block ended." Sarah replied.

Emma frowned and suggested, "Corey, maybe you should go look for him. There is that... thing... that we all need to talk about." Corey gave her a knowing look, winked at Sarah and skipped off towards the science buildings.

Sarah was now sitting up on the bench, her full attention on her best friend. "What's this 'thing' we need to discuss? Spill it."

Emma's face split into a secretive smile. "Am I correct in supposing that you didn't receive a letter last night?"

"What? Oh! I think I might have, but Karen didn't give it to me. I wasn't feeling to well last night." Sarah was wriggling with anticipation, barely able to keep still. "What did it say?" she asked nervously. "Emma..."

"Well," Emma began, looking at her nails non-chalantly. Her fake boredom slipped away as she winked at Sarah. "We're going to Romania!"

The reaction Emma was expecting from Sarah was not the one she got. Her best friend's face grew ashen and Sarah forced a smile. "Oh," was all she could say.

Oh, God. Sarah thought. Spending the night alone with Kaedin in a place that's horrible as it is. This cannot be a good thing, educational or not. 

Sarah shifted uncomfortably under Emma's scrutinizing dark eyes. "Okay, so I spilled my news, time for you to spill." Sarah met her brown eyes with her green ones. "And don't even ask me, 'spill what?' in that innocent tone, Williams. What's wrong?"

"I don't kn-"mumbled Sarah, avoiding Emma's gaze again.

Emma nodded, as though she had figured it out. "Something is going on with you and Kade, right?"

"No, Kade-"

"What about Kade?" a friendly voice asked behind them. Corey was standing next to a dark haired boy of built stature. He was tall in height, and his hair fell loosely across his forehead and blue eyes. He was smiling nervously, but his eyes were cold in warning.

Sarah stood up quickly, knocking over her soda can. Stumbling to tip it upright she said, "I was just wondering where you and Corey were." She cleared her throat. "I hear there's something we all have to discuss?"

Kaedin's smile was genuine now, and his eyes sparkled. "Sar, we're going to Dracula's Castle! We'll leave on Friday."

Corey punched Kade's arm good-naturedly. "I got my letter two days ago, I can't believe you didn't know! I'm already packed and everything."

Sarah's heart was racing. This was so much less real when there wasn't a date attached to it. Friday? Oh, God. She choked out a smile, trying to show as much teeth as possible. "I'm glad, baby." She whispered.

He knew she was lying through those teeth. He didn't care, as much as he disapproved of her lying to him. She was his, and she was going. What did her happiness have to do with it?

. - - .

Sarah's melancholy mood had not improved by the time she had gotten home. She gently closed the door to avoid the attention of her step mother. Didn't work.

"Sarah!" She froze, waiting for all the questions about the previous night to come flooding. But instead came, "Can you put Toby down for a nap, please? I've got my hands full here. A little help around here would be appreciated."

She sighed and walked into the kitchen apprehensively. Toby was sitting on the carpet playing with Lancelot, the stuffed bear that Sarah had given him the year prior. Sarah stopped and gazed at the beautiful child, and then at the doll whose absence had once fueled her anger. It had pushed her into doing something horrible to her little brother, and it made her sick. But he was here now, safe and happy.

Toby looked up at his sister and grinned. "Hi, Sarah." He said proudly. He had just started being able to pronounce the "r" in her name correctly.

"Hey there big guy," she said, walking over to him and ruffling his hair. "are you ready for a nap?" Toby's smile faded and he scowled.

"No." This was definitely not helping Sarah's headache go away. Dealing with a toddler who is just as contrary as she is can never be easy.

Sarah picked him up and started walking towards the stairs. "C'mon Tobes, I'll tell you a story." Toby stopped struggling immediately. He loved Sarah's stories, especially about the labyrinth. The vague familiarity of the place seemed to sooth him into slumber no matter what his previous mood.

Sarah smiled to herself at his submittance. She knew him too well, her darling brother. Sarah loved him more than even she understood. Toby was the most precious thing in her life. I nearly killed myself a few times over to save him, too. she thought, smirking. Although she still begrudged the attention he received sometimes, it was only the attention and never Toby himself. After all, it wasn't his fault that his mother had left Sarah and her father to pursue an acting career. It wasn't Toby's fault that her dad had fallen in love and remarried. It wasn't his fault that Sarah wasn't daddy's little princess anymore, not his fault that her life had turned into full-time baby sitter and household slave/trash/nothing important. No, that was Karen's fault, and it was her that she truly hated.

In all actuality, it hadn't surprised Sarah in the least when Karen showed no interest in the events of the night before. Figures. The wench. At least she wouldn't have to explain why a spandex-wearing nymph of a man was looming over her unconscious body. Thank God. 

When Sarah got to Toby's bedroom she gently placed him in his crib. She tucked the coverlet around his small form, and rested Lancelot in the crook of his arm. "Story," He begged, "you promised."

Sarah told him stories about fairies (of non-vicious temper), dwarfs, talking foxes and bravery. She sang him lullabies of the Goblin King and his Escher room. When she thought him to be asleep, she leaned over and kissed his forehead. When she turned to leave she heard him whisper, "He came back."

"What?" she asked, taken aback.

"The Goblin King. He came back when you were asleep." Sarah's heart was in her throat.

"You know who he is? I thought you had forgotten. You were so young..." Sarah was confused. Why would Jareth come back to her home? She could think of no reason besides to inflict pain or revenge on her, but she was fine.

"He said, 'don't go Sarah.'" Toby mumbled through his impending sleep.

"Toby, what are you talking about? Don't go where?" Sarah was a little frantic now. This cannot be good.

"I don't know. He said, "don't go, Sarah.'" With that, Toby was out like a light.

Sarah frowned as she walked to her room. A letter was sitting on her bedspread, unopened. She only had to glance at it to know it was the acceptance letter for the trip to Romania. The feel of the envelope in her hands triggered deep emotions in her that she wasn't sure she could explain. The tangible touch of paper made her fate that much more real.

"I cannot do this!" she cried. "I can't be this strong person who is fearless. I cannot pretend that I have a perfect life with a perfect boyfriend. I can't stay the night some creepy castle away from home, oh God, I can't do this." Sarah looked at the piece of parchment and read, "Cetatea Poienari is located near the village of Curtea de Arges. It is about a 2 and a half hour ride from Bucharest by train." Great.

As she fell into an emotion induced sleep, she thought of Jareth's relayed words.

"Don't go, Sarah."


End file.
